The Larger Audience, Part I

On Dec. 31, we celebrated Eid Kbear (or Eid al-Adha in classical arabic). The following week was spent gorging on slaughtered sheep in such excess that I’ve grudging gained the winter weight (‘eskimo fat’ for Suzy)- that 10 lbs that makes the cold a little more comfortable. Fortunately, I had the same problem following Ramadan and lost the weight soon after. Also like Ramadan, Eid was an excellent time to visit neighbors and friends. These were good visits, but uncomfortable at times following the execution of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. In general, the execution of a former Arab leader on the holiest of days in the Muslim world (In Iraq, Eid al-Adha was celebrated on Sat., Dec 30th for Shiites, on Sun. for Sunnis) makes for interesting conversation.

Executed on Sat. at dawn, Al Jazeera and other Arab networks followed with continuous video of the pre-hanging that was recorded via mobile phone and the outrage amongst the Islamic community afterwords. Sat. night I watched Al Jazeera coverage with my family, who were sad, not angry. My mother cried while watching the video and I asked her what she thought. I told her he had killed more than half a million of their own people, fellow Muslims. She responded, “this might be true, but he’s still human. This is L’Eid. This is hram (forbidden). Mskin (poor guy).” I thought that was as poignant as Nietzsche's words, "he who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster.”

Approached by many people in my community who wanted to talk about the news event, this was the general sentiment. And that’s where I think any political good that could have come out of the execution was lost.

I heard a pundit on a podcast days weeks ago state “what is the story? Is it that Hussein was made to appear dignified in death while the executioners, interim govt and foreign govts were disrespectful? I don’t understand, what is the story?” A roundtable of pundits then responded with conforming or contrasting views, but all missing the major point.

The bitter story is that it was done on Islam’s holiest day and served vengeance more than justice. The executions timetable showed wide disrespect to a religion and culture that the western world needs desperately to understand better. Furthermore, although later reports confirmed that the Iraqi govt ignored U.S. officials strong attempts to postpone the hanging, I’ve heard many times “America is responsible for this. If they wanted to stop it, they could of.” The same sentiments were expressed during the most recent Israeli-Lebanon conflict. Although not the criminal, we’re seen as accomplices.

The crux of my argument is that in haste to fight terrorism, the U.S. and its allies risk alienating the larger Islamic community and at worst, forcing some into the arms of extremists. Members of the current Muslim majority that is ambivalent or benevolent to the Western world, like most all Moroccans, could turn against the West if they feel slighted or threatened. This is a matter that gets little press. Knowing the diversity (-divisions) within Islam is the sine qua non to understanding the future of Islamic-West relations.

To be continued...